(Omar) What you want
(Omar) Baby, I got
(Omar) What you need
(Omar) Do you know I got it?
(ooh) All I´m askin´
(ooh) Is for a little respect when I come back (to the National League)
Hey baby (just a little bit) when I come back
(just a little bit) Mister Minaya (just a little bit)

I ain´t gonna do you wrong if you pay me
Ain´t gonna do you wrong (ooh) ´cause I want the money (ooh)
All I´m askin´ (ooh)
Is for a little respect if I sign here (just a little bit)
Baby (just a little bit) if I play at Shea (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

(Omar) I´m about to give you all of my money
And all I´m askin´ in return, Petey
Is to keep my job like Willie
When you sign here (just a, just a, just a, just a)
Yeah baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)
When you meet Willie (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

Ooo, your kisses (ooh)
Sweeter than Georgie (ooh)
And guess what? (ooh)
All I want is money (ooh)
All I want you to do (ooh) for me
Is give it to me if sign here (re, re, re ,re)
Yeah baby (re, re, re ,re)
Give it to me (respect, just a little bit)
When I throw home, now (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to Pete
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, CHB

Oh ($ock it to me, $ock it to me,
$ock it to me, $ock it to me)
A little respect ($ock it to me, $ock it to me,
$ock it to me, $ock it to me)
Whoa, Nelson (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)
My shoulder gets tired (just a little bit)
But I keep on tryin´ (just a little bit)
(Omar) You´re runnin´ out of foolin´ (just a little bit)
But I ain´t lyin´ (just a little bit)
(re, re, re, re) ´spect
When you throw home (re, re, re ,re)
Or you might give up homers (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I´m gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)

According to ESPN's Peter Gammons, Lying Rat Bastard Scott Bora$ has dropped his ransom to $44M for 4 years for Tek. Rotoworld adds "if the Red Sox didn't come back to win Game 4 of the ALCS, Varitek would probably be settling for $24-$27M over three years right now."

“We are naming the Red Sox the Sportsmen of the Year because of the way they underline the connection between a team, a franchise, a town and the fans,” said SI Managing Editor Terry McDonell. “Every Sox fan everywhere shares in this with the team.”

The Red Sox completed an impressive regular season followed by their historic comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the New York Yankees in the ALCS and their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Along the way, the Sox carried with them generations of Red Sox Nation, their devoted and fanatical faithful.

By virtue of being a member of the Red Sox, Curt Schilling becomes only the second person to be accorded the honor twice (Tiger Woods, 1996 and 2000). He joined his Arizona Diamondbacks teammate Randy Johnson as co-Sportsman in 2001. Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is the only other Red Sox player ever named Sportsman (1967).

Five previous Sportsman selections played in or have ties to Boston: Yastrzemski, Bill Russell (1968), Bobby Orr (1970) and members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team and 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup Soccer Team. The Red Sox are the first major professional sports team to receive the distinction.

Thanks to the thousands of men and women in the United States Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines who read this page daily from stations all over the world and all servicemen and women defending our freedom in some of the most dangerous places on earth.

A Boston Dirt Dogs source indicates that free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano "is definitely signing with Philadelphia." The only issue apparently holding it up was that Carl's mom is a big Yankees fan. The source indicates that "Boston wasn't even in the mix at all -- Pavano wants to play in Philly, but he's considering the Yankees as well." The Phillies have already offered Pavano a three-year contract. An MLB source on this report: "I can't see Philadelphia being anyone's clear cut choice especially knowing the people that work there, and what the atmosphere is
like, even when butt kissing free agents."

Yaz was previously the only Red Sox player named Sportsman of the Year. Tune in to the one-hour special on FOX-25, Sunday at 4:30 (we'll have the new cover then) for the official 2004 announcement. Other Hub Sportsman? Bill Russell 1968, Bobby Orr 1970, US Olympic Hockey Team 1980.

"Alex gave Pedro the pitch, he told him what the Yankees are about, how Joe Torre runs things, about the clubhouse atmosphere and what's expected," Martinez' agent Fernando Cuza said." -- New York Post, George King/Steinbrenner

(If that's the case, then Pedro and Nelson hopped on the next shuttle to Santo Domingo for happy hour. They're perfectly happy with mahow the Red Sox "run things.")

"Alex is the best ballplayer..." -- 11.19.04 Pedro Martinez (You hear that Manny? Who does Pedro think he is, Kevin Millar?)

But mark us down for supporting making a one-year offer to Nomar to play shortstop (gulp) for the Red Sox. 2005: Let's Win One With Nomie. In other news, Hanley Ramirez tripled, doubled, walked and scored three times for Licey of the Dominican Winter League yesterday.

MLB DVD misses mark on capturing high drama, Leary narration lifeless, more shots of Ruth than Roberts, shows ALCS sans-Slap, makes too many C-word and about 86 "86 years of suffering" references, and force feeds you "Tessie" one more time to boot in lieu of "Dirty Water."NESN/Red Sox DVD out next week. A much better effort.

According to a Boston Dirt Dogs source, and now confirmed by several Japanese news outlets, former Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler just earlier today signed with the Yomiuri Giants for 1 year at a reported $2 million.

Kapler said he and his family are excited to go to Japan and he is eager to
show his "energetic" playing style.

Pedro is Ready to Leave Sox

Likes Steinbrenner and Jeter. Calls A-Rod Best Player. Would Like to Play with Bonds* in San Francisco or Vlad in Anaheim.

“I am not asking
for anything that I don’t deserve”

Pedro clarified that he expects the highest bidder to
offer not only money, but to treat him with the respect he is used to

El Caribe translation: Pedro Martinez is negotiating a contract in the same way in
which he works when he is on the mound: Willing to do anything for the sake of
obtaining the goal desired without the smaller charge of possible conscience.

... In an exclusive one with The Caribbean, he clarified that in
his next contract he considers other things more important than money, such as
respect ...

"In reality I will do the necessary thing. We will do it
without favoritism and we will do it well", indicated the righthander in
its first statement after last week’s meetings with the Yankees and Red Sox.

"I want respect, affection and the best possible treatment.
I am not requesting anything that Pedro Martinez does not deserve. The people do
not understand that when you enter free agency, you can go to the highest
bidder," he said.

After a long day that included his return home after visiting
the United States ... Martinez sat down on a sidewalk to talk long with The
Caribbean.

As if it was in the movie "Question of honor",
Martinez does not intend to yield neither an apex to the parameters he refers
to.

"I would say that in this point in my career, I have a
level in the market and if it’s dropped from there, it’s dropped for all the
players looking for raises. Therefore, for that reason, respect matters even
more," he said.

"We are going to see how much interest they show the parts
and the interest that give me", added.

On Boston. Pedro was emphatic at the time, indicating that
he has a clear conscience and that is prepared to launch in any place.

"I have not asked for $17.5 million. I do not want that.
For a long time I told them I am not asking for that ...", the Dominican
said, with great clarity.

"Therefore, this will not weight on my conscience, I know
the respect that I deserve and the value that I have", he said.

"I have been myself preparing for the moment when free
agency arrived. One does like the ants, is prepared at this time to go in
another direction", he added. And what do you have to say to those who say
at this point in your career, you prefer to pitch in the National League for
convenience?

"I would play baseball even in a corral of goats, wherever
that be. That does not worry me, I am healthy thanks to God and I expect to
pitch well", he said.

In Sunday’s edition, the Boston Globe published that the Red
Sox increased their offering to Pedro, that according to reports some $40
million dollars were guaranteed.

Martinez did not go into details on the teams that have
approached him, but commented that "many people have approached and are
showing interest. I have to do things calmly."

He felt the respect of Jeter and the Boss

Pedro never had talked with George Steinbrenner, but the way to
negotiate with the "Boss" brought a lot of the attention.

"The reception with Steinbrenner was huge. The Yankees have
a lot of respect for me," Pedro said.

"That man is a lot better than people think and there I was
with Derek Jeter, who stopped to greet me and the encounter happened in a very
pleasant way", exposed the man that has polarized to the Yankees in which
to a possible acceptance he refers.

Sox Play the Game, Take Page from Duquette School of Negotiating and Bid Against Themselves for Mr. Martinez

"Even after the principal owner George Steinbrenner met Martínez last week, and even after the Yankees were told that the Boston Red Sox had guaranteed Martínez a three-year, $37.5 million contract, the Yankees still had not made Martínez an offer, according to two baseball officials."
-- 11.22 New York Times

NYT source confirms BDD report of Martinez' 4/$60M request "basing his logic on the $15-million-a-year deal Kevin Brown signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. Brown was 33 then, the same age Martínez is now."

Today's Listin Diario reports that highly-respected Hall of Famer Juan Marichal wants Pedro Martinez to accept the Red Sox offer and stay in Boston. Dominican talk show caller Miguel reports to Dale and Neumy that people in the Dominican were furious that Pedro spoke to the Yankees "The Boston Red Sox have been very good to the people of the Dominican Republic. If Pedro goes to the Yankees, he will create a lot of enemies in the Dominican Republic."

I Dream of Petey

"Slappy McBlueLips is "dreaming to play with Pedro." If Pedro stays in Boston, I hope he drills A-Fraud in the ass for that comment. Ugh. -- Anthony Gertz, cardless member of RSN

Will Sox Give Placido a Go?

(Reuters Photo)

The Boston Herald reported Friday that the Sox have been in discussions with Phillies' Placido Polanco's reps, trying to bring the 29-year-old infielder to Boston to be a backup for infielders Mark Bellhorn and Bill Mueller. Polanco hit .298 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 126 games for the Phillies this past season.

"I don't see anybody beating them right now." -- Curt Schilling on the Steelers going all the way

Curt: "I got trashed for that here (supporting Bush in Kerry's back yard). I find it ironic, people can burn flags in this country, The KKK can march, but I can't support my President publicly? That's a joke."

The Godawful Tom Arnold: "You get one choice. George Bush gets re-elected President or Red Sox win the World Series for the first time in '86 years, what are you going to choose?"

"Whoever signs Pedro will overpay. He is a No. 2 or 3 starter who will insist on and get No. 1 money. The Red Sox have already reportedly offered him 27.5 million for two years, yet he is a six or seven inning pitcher with wildly erratic stuff. From start to start you never know which Pedro you'll get." -- Kevin Hench, FOXSports.com

"His act wouldn't work here, George. Those jags he goes on when he won't speak to the press, when he won't come to the ballpark on time, when he leaves the stadium early . . . all that stuff was tolerated in Boston. That's who the Red Sox are." -- Mike Vaccaro, New York Post

"Martinez told The Boss how much he wanted to be a Yankee, according to one source, and another source said that Steinbrenner gave his Yankees sales pitch to Martinez." -- Ken Davidoff, New York Newsday

"A Martinez departure wouldn't lead to mourning on Yawkey Way. Many in the organization have been fed up by his late arrivals, a frequent diva attitude, mood swings and his thin skin when it comes to dealing with criticism. Should he depart, the team would not have to worry about having the payroll flexibility to sign free agent Carl Pavano, who is schedule to visit tomorrow." -- Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

"No matter what he says publicly, Terry Francona has told people close to him that he can't stand Pedro, and is hoping he does take his shenanigans elsewhere so the Sox manager can begin to restore some order in the clubhouse." -- John Harper, NY Daily News

"The whole mango tree bit? Wait until he finds out why they call NYC a concrete jungle. There ain’t no mango trees in the Bronx for Pedro to sit under. There is, however, Steinbrenner’s never-ending money tree, and it’s got more than enough than the 50 cents Martinez needs for his bus. Greyhound, due southwest. South to Penn. Fenway to the Stadium. Rebellion to the Evil Empire." -- Eric Wilbur, Boston.com

Signs everywhere: The Pedro “Thank You” billboard above the Cask 'N Flagon has been replaced with a Starbucks ad. The Manny “Thank You” billboard still remains across the street.

According to a Boston Dirt Dogs source, Pedro Martinez was picked up at Tampa International Airport this morning at 10:00a.m. by a Yankee official and is meeting with George Steinbrenner now at the Yankees complex. Pedro will be having lunch with the Boss, possibly at Malios Steakhouse, and touring the facilities at Legends Field in Tampa all afternoon. Stay tuned for further developments.

"I promise, I'm not going to the Yankees. I want to stay right here."-- 10.29 Pedro Martinez to The Boston Globe's Stan Grossfeld

"Make the deal for Zito or Hudson, sign Parvano, and let's all admit that the Red Sox are now Schill's team anyhow. Let the Yankees over-sign another old pitcher one centimeter away from a torn rotator cuff with a guaranteed contract."-- Longtime Red Sox aficionado Shaun Kelly

"Baseball fans, like the writers, are gradually coming around. they know watching Bonds go deep is like watching the 6-foot-tall kid with the mustache strike out the side in the Little league World Series. Someone's cheating. ...The home run king has no clothes, and everyone knows it. In the end, the commissioner doesn't have to worry about putting an asterisk next to Barry Bonds in the record book. You can rest assured, Bud: It's already there."-- 11.16: Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald

Almost 65,000 turned out at Gillette Stadium to see Johnny Damon and Curt Schilling present the Red Sox World Series trophy. As an added treat, the Patriots suited up and played an exhibition game against the Buffalo Bills and Drew Bledsoe who returned to Foxboro to give Schilling the garage door openers that he forget to hand off when they passed papers on the Medfield estate almost a year ago. A very, very happy Johnny Damon nearly went on ESPN which would have resulted in another "Joe Namath moment."

"...then voices on the video clip called out, ''They hit her in the eye" and ''You [expletive] killed her," as the camera panned toward the sidewalk, where a man in the crowd signaled for help." -- 11.13 Boston Globe

Russo chalks up his unmotivated leadership - he told his team the task was “impossible” - to illness. “The truth is I was sick,” he said. “On the previous task, we had been working in the rain. That’s not an excuse. That’s just the reality.” File that wimpy excuse under "the anti-dirt dog." (This is not a guy you want in your foxhole)

Janet Marie Smith's team tears up the original Fenway field for shipping to the Smithsonian as they begin work on the demolition of the old Fenway Park in Kenmore Square. Giant Glass House in Chelsea, the new home of the Olde Towne Team, is expected to be ready for the 2005 home opener.

"When I saw Geronimo turn his back as I was
rounding second, I said 'that ball's getting out of here' and I look at
Pete Rose and he's yelling at me 'yeah, this is World Series baseball baby.'" -- Bernie
Carbo on the Second Greatest Home Run Ever Hit in Major League Baseball
(after Dave Henderson's game saver in Anaheim in '86)

"Johnny (to a teary-eyed Pesky) would hit me
175 ground balls a day... he was there for me every day... I'd come up the
steps and there he was waiting, ready to go... and if I made an error, it
was 25 more ground balls." -- Wade (new hair looked just OK) Boggs

"Pedro dominated the game for probably six years. I don't know that he's that guy anymore, but he's certainly smart enough to know what he can do. It's going to be a tough call (whether to re-sign him). It's a tough call when you get to a guy who is in his 30s, I think he just turned 33. He's not (throwing) 95 or 96 (mph) anymore. But he started every game (when his spot came up). He's probably a seven-inning guy now, but he's a good one." -- 11.10 Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace

The Texas Rangers were lucky to get Chan Ho Park, 5 years, $65M and saved the franchise by signing A-Fraud at 10 years, $252MThe Los Angeles Dodgers thank Scott for Kevin Brown, 7 years, $105M and Darren Dreifort, 5 years, $55M

Drilling down and scrubbing a few numbers tells us that Red Sox Nation stands at about 15.7 million members worldwide. Getting people to send in $5.00 won't change that, (unless you're going to use the $78,500,000 to sign Tek, Pedro, D-Lowe, and the OC). And why can't Sox use their free email product to count their visitors? They want you to pay $5.00 for a Stop-and-Shop-style Red Sox loyalty card instead. Fine. But keep your hands off the Nation.

"I will never pay $5 to prove that I'm a Red Sox fan." -- zeteclark on SoSH

Curt Schilling speaks to the crowd at the WROR ALS fundraising dinner in Newton at The Capital Grille, "...the foot's fine. We're gonna get it fixed on Monday. I had a little bit of an infection in there which is why we had to delay it... feels a lot better than it did a week ago."

Update: An examination of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's right ankle was postponed again. Schilling was expected to be seen by doctors Saturday. He had originally been scheduled for an exam Friday, but a conflict pushed that date back to Saturday. Schilling's surgery on his ankle tendon is now scheduled for Tuesday.

Manny Ramirez attends a sake barrel opening ceremony along with Japanese baseball great Sadaharu Oh (L) at a welcoming party at a Tokyo hotel. In keeping with tradition, Kevin Millar (not pictured) is cleaning the shot glasses in preparation for the ceremonial swig of sake before the Japan exhibition series this week. Submit your photo caption here.

Janet Marie Smith's team begins work on the new Centerfield2005 seats expected to be ready for next April's home opener at Fenway. Many Monster Seats will now be Obstructed View with these new, closer to the infield, club seats.

In this week's Sports Illustrated: In his story, "Now Comes the Hard Part," SI senior writer Tom Verducci looks beyond the championship and explores the difficult roster decisions ahead and, for once, the challenge to repeat. Verducci writes that re-signing Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe may be the trickiest decisions, and quotes Theo Epstein, "As much as I'd like to bring all the buys back, you have to look at it objectively and make the tough decisions."

Millar Tells Everyone That Players Threw Back Some Jack. Six Sox Tell Letterman/Leno No Shots Were Fired. Who's Telling the Truth? You Decide.

"That's the unfortunate thing. This comes off as everybody doing it and that's not what happened in that clubhouse," one Sox player said. "We don't want this to tarnish what we brought home. It hurts the organization, but most of all it hurts the player who said it." -- Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti

(Paul Drinkwater/NBC via Getty Images)

(CBS photo)

"Yeah, I heard a few guys got hit by a few things, but I got hit by a panty."-- Johnny Damon on David Letterman

Kevin Millar said on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" last Friday that the team drank shots of Jack Daniels at 7:45pm before Game 6 of the ALCS to keep warm in the 35 degree temperatures in the Bronx. Since they won Game 6, they did the same for Game 7. To keep the streak going they switched to Crown Royal for the World Series (Games 1, 2, 3, and 4). Millar said "I'm glad we won in four games, because those Crown Royal shots and Jack Daniels shots started to kill me." He also added that they asked manager Terry Francona to do a shot before Game 4 of the Series to calm his nerves, he obliged.

"It was one of those group team things, like shaving our heads last year. What we had was one small Gatorade cup, with a little Jack Daniel's in it. We passed it around and everyone symbolically drank out of the same cup, because we are a team. It wasn't as if guys were drunk. Can you imagine Trot Nixon or Jason Varitek or Mike Timlin actually sipping alcohol before a game? No way." -- 11.01 Kevin Millar to ESPN's Peter Gammons

And Flip-Flops on Tito

"First, he never would," Millar said. "Second, this was just between the players. It's not a story about 25 shot glasses, it's one small Gatorade cup that we shared as a symbol. And once we won Game 6, we had to do it before Game 7, just like the lucky coin I had in my pocket every game." -- 11.01 Kevin Millar to ESPN's Peter Gammons

And the beat goes on: Millar opens mouth, morons blame the media

Curt Answers the Call

(AP Photo)

"America needs a leader who makes sure they have everything they need to get the job done, a leader who believes in their mission and honors their service, a leader who has the courage and the character to stay on the offense against terrorism until the war is won. That leader is our commander in chief, George W. Bush."

"One of the best things about playing in the World Series was seeing the footage of soldiers cheering for the Red Sox in Iraq, it was great to know that we could make them feel closer to home and do something to put a smile on their faces, while they were on the front lines. Those troops deserve all of our support, and all of our thanks.

And there's something else we can do for them. We can make sure we elect a president who supports them every step of the way."-- 11.01 Curt Schilling in Wilmington, Ohio

Meanwhile Former Howard Dean Election Committee Member Theo Epstein Goes After President in New Hampshire, Sox Brass Campaigns for Kerry

The “Curt’s Pitch
for ALS” program is a joint effort by Curt and Shonda Schilling and The
ALS Association Mass Chapter to strike out Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

For the fourth consecutive year, SHADE Foundation of America will be represented at the Boston Marathon by a team raising funds for SHADE. SHADE is currently seeking marathon runners to join the team . For more information on running with Shonda Schilling on SHADE’s team or sponsoring runners, please visit SHADE's marathon page here.The SHADE Foundation thanks Red Sox Nation for joining in their fight to save future generations from melanoma.